[Unchained] Innate Item Bonuses

[Genth]

We still don't seem to have a meta thread for unchained stuff (if I'm wrong, please point me in the right direction) but I'm entirely confused as to the point of Innate Item Bonuses when it applies to weapons. I get the idea for wondrous items, as it encourages people to get more interesting items, but the way the weapons seem to be applied.. it makes no difference? As an example (the one from the book)

I want a Keen rapier. Normally it has to have a +1 bonus anyway, and Keen is a +1 bonus enhancement, so I have to pay the cost of a +2 weapon, 8000gp.

Under unchained rules, I get a Keen rapier, keen is a +1 ability, so it gets a +1 enhancement bonus naturally as an outcome of that, and I pay.. 8000gp.

How is this different?

[Yanisa]

There is/was a general thread with a non-general title here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?402945-Unchained-Jason-Buhlman-confirmed-Summoner-is-in-for-some-nerfs), but it has been quiet there...

As to answer your question, it ain't. The chosen example in the book seems also a poor one, but if you take the other one from the book, the holy keen rapier, you suddenly need to pay for +3 enchantment where normally +1 enchantment would do. Yay?
The only benefit I can think of is that you can enchant a weapon up to +10 special abilities, for example a Holy Vorpal Speed Rapier, and get the +5 enchantment bonus (or perhaps even +10?) too. Getting magic items more powerfully then normally allowed. You still pay the money for it though, so it ain't a huge boon.

[Genth]

So as opposed to encouraging people to use lots of interesting enhancements, it means they're going to use even less of the same magic items? That seems counterproductive...

[Yanisa]

They have no choice, there are no plain +1 enchantment weapons or items. You either buy the more expensive versions or you don't have magic items at all.




Personally I would drop the price increase if I would use a system like this. Do note that it suddenly goes from pricey and underpowered to underpriced and powerful. :smalltongue: